Semester
Fall
Date of Graduation
2005
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Type
PhD
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
Cynthia M. Anderson.
Abstract
Problem behavior in dogs is a concern for pet owners. Many contemporary approaches to intervention first involve a process of diagnosis and classification which is often structural in nature. An accurate diagnosis is considered essential for effective treatment, however, outcome data validating the efficacy of this procedure are dubious. The success of strategies used to assess and treat behavior problems that identify behavioral function in humans (functional assessment), however, suggests the potential utility of such techniques in the assessment and treatment of behavior problems in dogs. Therefore, two separate assessments were conducted to identify and manipulate variables affecting problem behavior in dogs. An initial assessment comprised of indirect and direct observations suggested hypotheses that were tested experimentally in assessment two. In assessment two, the manipulation of environmental events suggested by these hypotheses demonstrated functional relations controlling problem behavior in pet dogs.
Recommended Citation
Kapla, Susan D., "Assessing the effectiveness of descriptive and experimental analyses to identify variables influencing problem behavior in domestic dogs" (2005). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 2261.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/2261